The Board of Trustees approved rates for tuition and for room and board during its March meeting. Read more ...

Commencement Info Online

The University is
preparing for its 160th Commencement ceremonies during May and June
2010. More than 2,000 individuals will have their bachelor's, master's,
and doctoral degrees conferred. Check the Commencement Web site
and Eastman School's commencement site for updates and
more information.

Reminder: Student Account Balances

Student account balances must be paid in full to participate in the housing lottery and fall 2010 registration. Housing contracts are due March 31, and fall 2010 registration begins April 5. For more information, contact the bursar’s office at (585) 275-3931 or bursar@admin.rochester.edu.

UR Biodiesel Wins National Award

UR Biodiesel,
a project designed by Rochester undergraduates to convert excess fryer
oil from dining service centers into biodiesel to fuel shuttle buses,
has been given the Excellence in Innovations for Sustainability Award
by the Association of College Unions International. Read more...

Financial Aid Answers Available

Have questions about financial aid? Contact your son's or daughter's counselor regarding financial aid for this academic year or with questions regarding what application materials are needed by April 15 for the 2010-11 academic year.

Campus Climate Survey

On March 15, the College Diversity Roundtable (CDR) sent undergraduates at the College and at the Eastman School an e-mail with a link to their biennial Campus Climate Survey. Members of the CDR encourage parents to remind their students to participate in the anonymous survey, which aims to evaluate undergraduate students’ past and current experiences with issues of diversity including race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and disability.

Celebrating Women’s Work in Music

Eastman students and alumnae will be featured as performers or composers during the annual Women in Music Festival. Concerts are offered at several different venues throughout the Rochester community, allowing people to attend many performances. Read more ...

Order of the Engineer Inductions
Some professions have rites of passage marking one’s entrance. The Order of the Engineer ceremony is often considered the rite for engineers. Formed to provide a sense of closure at the end of your child's studies, the ceremony gives a visible means for engineering graduates to identify with other engineers. If you are a parent who has an engineering degree from an ABET-accredited engineering program, you may join your son or daughter in this induction to the Meliora Link of the Order of the Engineer. This year’s ceremony is Saturday, May 15, at 11 a.m., in the tent on the Wilson Commons front lawn. Contact Donna Johnson at (585) 275-3954 or dojohns@seas.rochester.edu by Friday, March 26, for details.

Census 2010

The 2010 Census is under way and census questionnaires will be delivered to on-campus housing in April and May. Students are reminded that they should be counted where they live and sleep most of the year and if they live at school on April 1, 2010, they should be counted at their school address. More information is available on the federal government's Census on Campus Web site.

Video: Egg Drop 2010

Take an egg and drop it from four stories in the air, and its
interaction with the floor below is predictable—unless it's protected
by a contraption designed by a mechanical engineering student. Watch the video from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers annual Egg Drop.

Deadlines Near for Study Abroad Scholarships

If your son or daughter plans to study abroad this summer, fall, or for the full 2010-11 school year, study abroad scholarships are available. Students applying for CIEE and IES programs must also apply for the respective scholarships. The application deadline for CIEE and summer IES scholarships is April 1. May 1 is the deadline for fall or full-year IES scholarships. In addition, Pell Grant recipients who are U.S. citizens are eligible for the Gilman Scholarship. April 6 is the deadline for both summer and fall applications. Students can contact the Center for Study Abroad for more information.

A Lesson in Eco-Awareness

RecycleMania
is nearing a close, and staff and students are gearing up for the final
few weeks. Recycling coordinator Amy Kadrie worked with students to
organize two recent events to raise awareness about the importance of
recycling: Mt. Trashmore and Feelin’ Trashy.Read more...

Rochester Takes Part in CollegeFest Theater Event

From April 1 to April 18, Geva Theatre Center will host theater groups from three area universities, including Rochester, in the first ever CollegeFest. Rochester’s International Theatre Program will take audiences from mayhem to magic with Tony Kushner’s The Illusion from April 1 to 4 at Geva Theatre Center. The full schedule and ticket information is available onGeva's Web site.

New Issue of Innovations Available

View the latest issue of Innovations, the entrepreneurship newsletter that covers stories across all schools and campuses. If you would like to be mailed a hard copy of this publication on a regular basis, e-mail the Center for Entrepreneurship or call (585) 276-3500.

Big Apple Beckons for Eastman Faculty

Eastman Virtuosi, a chamber ensemble of faculty and outstanding student
musicians, travel to New York this month to perform in Merkin Concert
Hall at Kaufman Center on March 27. Read more ...

T-Shirt Sale at Bookstore

Champion, Gear, and Jones & Mitchell brand T-shirts are on sale buy one, get one half off at the University's bookstore through March 27. The sale is also available online at urochester.bncollege.com.

Rochester Shines in the Summertime

In addition to the variety of courses offered in the College, on-campus activities and off-campus events and festivals provide plenty to do when studying is over. Course registration begins April 5. Check the Office of Summer and Part-time Studies Web site, which is augmented frequently and will soon contain complete information about housing (with new reduced rates). If you have questions, call (585) 275-2345, or e-mail osp@mail.rochester.edu.

CAREERS

Your Questions, Answered

Are internship experiences ever available or offered to students who don't meet a minimum GPA requirement of 3.0? What’s the nature of assistance that the Career Center offers to graduating students? Burt Nadler, director of the College Career Center, answers these questions from parents.

Have Your Own Question?

Send it to the Career Center staff, who will respond in future issues of Parents Buzz.

LEARNING

'Poetic Appeal'

Poetry never has been
more alive at Rochester than it is today, in writing
workshops and
poetry readings, informal gatherings and solitary
sessions where a
writer confronts a blank sheet—or screen.Read more ...

DINING

Give Their Balance a Boost

Is your son or daughter running low on declining balance dollars? Want to surprise him or her with an end-of-the-semester boost? Purchase $50 in declining balance dollars and your student will receive an additional value pack worth $55 to be used on campus. Call (585) 275-8756 after April 1 to take part in the offer, which is only valid for in person and over-the-telephone purchases.

MAKING HEADLINES

'Earth Raised Shield Earlier Than Thought'

MSNBC (March 5)
A study by John Tarduno, professor of geophysics, and colleagues suggests that the ability of a planet to generate a large magnetic field also is important for developing life, as it provides a shield against high-energy radiation from the parent star. Also reported in U.S. News and World Report, Scientific American, and more.

'Study: Party Competition Helps States'

UPI (Feb. 18)A strong two-party system is the best check on pork barrel spending and special interest legislation, according to a new study co-written by Gerald Gamm, associate professor of political science and history at Rochester.

More Online

Want to see more news coverage about the University of Rochester? Monthly roundups of Rochester in the news are available online.

About Parents Buzz

Parents Buzz is produced by University Communications, Parent Relations, and the Parents Program. It is e-mailed monthly to parents of undergraduates in the College and at the Eastman School of Music. View issues online at www.rochester.edu/parentsbuzz. Direct feedback and questions to parentsbuzz@rochester.edu.

ROCHESTER FINISHES FOURTH

In the team's best finish since 2003-04, Rochester ended its season fourth in the nation after losing to top-ranked Amherst College 56-44 in the third place game at the NCAA Division III Women’s Final Four. It was the team's third trip to the Final Four in seven years. Above, Melissa Alwardt looks for an open pass during the consolation game on Saturday, March 20. See more Final Four photos.

CALENDAR

Parents: You're Always Welcome

Parents of current College and Eastman students, as members of the University community, are regularly invited to regional alumni programs. Visit the regional calendar for details and registration information.